


The Four Times They Fake-Dated, and the One Time it was Real

by bukkunmoonsin (bukkunkun)



Category: Heneral Luna (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Rose-Tinted Nostalgia, huhuhu CASAA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-15
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-05-01 17:28:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5214494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bukkunkun/pseuds/bukkunmoonsin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Sorry, my ex is right there, uh, Pole, can you—hold my hand?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Four Times They Fake-Dated, and the One Time it was Real

**Author's Note:**

> [original post here](http://bukkun-moonsin.tumblr.com/post/132215319463/the-four-times-they-fake-dated-and-the-one-time).

**01。**

Miong had said he needed a date for a Valentines’ Day bonus given by his Chem 16 lab instructor. All he needed was really a photo that he was with someone, and a receipt at the place they ate at, but knowing Miong, he wasn’t going to just half-ass anything.

“Is this really necessary?” Pole asked, awkwardly shifting his weight from one leg to the other as Miong led him to a table in a swanky five-star resto.

“Absolutely. We have to make it believable. And the receipt has to be legit.”

Taking a seat, the older looked at him, sceptical, but Miong’s smile was warm, his dimples deep and oh-so charming that it made Pole want to poke them to see how deep they were.

Miong patted Pole’s shoulder and sat across him, grinning like a lovestruck loon, and rested his chin on his hands.

“So, do you like the place?”

“It’s too… expensive for me,” he replied, “But it’s very nice. Still, if we  _were_  dating, we could at least get a smaller table.”

Miong laughed, warm and fuzzy like a favourite worn-out jacket, and Pole thought to himself, yeah, he could get used to this.

Unfortunately, it _was_ just a one-time thing. Just for this one bonus, right.

“I’ll remember that for next time, then,” Miong replied, and called a waiter.

**02。**

“Just like that—thank you, Kuya Miong!”

Here they were again, sitting at a table across each other, with a lit candle between them in an awkward setup in the middle of Sunken Garden. Pole realised Miong caught him staring, and while he fought the urge to whip his head to look away, Miong gave him a warm, exasperated smile.

“Ahh, that looks very nice, actually!”

“So, you’re friends with Joven?” Miong asked, shifting slightly, and making it naturally look like they were really talking about something, on a  _date_ , and Pole chuckled.

“Classmates. I somehow got roped into doing this film student-budget pet project.”

“Well, we’re getting paid,” Miong shrugged, and at that Pole couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face.

“Nice! Very natural!”

“Well, it would be even more so if he wouldn’t call out like that.” Pole muttered, and Miong threw back his head in a wild, loud laugh.

He looked rather charming like that, lit with the warm highlights of the candle between them.

**03。**

“Pole, can I sit with you?”

The older young man looked up at Miong, who looked rather distressed, and slowly nodded. “… Don’t you always?” he asked, and Miong took a look around, before sliding into the booth right next to Pole, their thighs bumping on the creaky plastic seats of CASAA. “Miong?”

“Sorry, my ex is right there, uh, Pole, can you—hold my hand?”

He took Pole’s hand, and squeezed it with his shaky one, and cautiously, Pole squeezed it back.

“You already are, Miong.”

“… Right.” The younger slowly nodded, and turned to look at Pole. “We have to look busy.”

“Yeah, alright.” Pole shrugged, and pulled out his notebook from his bag. He opened it at a page full of notes, and laid it open between them. “Here, a classic. Let’s pretend we’re studying together.”

“Jeez, Pole,” Miong let out a barking laugh, and Pole winced at the suddenness. It was probably the nerves. “J-jeez.”

Yes,  _definitely_ the nerves.

“Always studying? I’ve got a better idea.”

Miong took Pole’s spoon (still stuck in his half-eaten food) with his free hand and held it up to Pole’s lips. “I’ll just spoon-feed you.”

“Why?” Pole asked, but he could feel the heat spreading across his cheeks. He pretended not to notice the pinkish tint Miong’s cheeks had also taken to.

“Because that’s what couples do. Lovey-dovey things that are absolutely gross.”

“… Alright.” Pole leant forward to eat the spoonful of cold rice, and Miong gave him an awkward grin.

With his hair messy like that, and his leather jacket sleeves rolled up to his elbows, Miong looked like a mess with that grin on his face. Still, somehow it was just as endearing, and Pole found himself not minding the attention.

An hour and a half later, a whole hour after Miong’s ex had gone, Pole and Miong were still holding hands.

**04。**

It was a dare from someone in his org, and he wasn’t one to back down from a challenge.

“Pole, let’s fake-date for a week.”

Easy as day, his best friend was game for it.

Monday saw them snuggled together, rained in at Miong’s Katipunan apartment with Jolibee takeout and McDonalds BFF Fries for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Tuesday had them solving Miong’s problem set together, only to have them both end up with headaches, and Miong’s offer to have ice cream was something hard to refuse.

Wednesday was a quiet day. The sun was warm, and the wind, soft, and walking side-by-side, arms brushing and fingers barely joining, the stretch of Acad Oval in front of Engineering never looked quite as beautiful during the lazy yellow 2:45s in the afternoon.

Wednesday was a wonderful day, if you asked them.

Thursday had them barely meeting; Pole with his no-break day, and Miong with his org activities. The both of them found themselves missing Wednesday terribly.

Friday was a better day. Soft-serve ice cream from McDonalds Philcoa, and Minion banana floats bought for giggles and laughs paid back the slump from yesterday.

On Saturday, Miong had to watch Pole go to the infirmary again. His coughs had been getting worse lately. Somewhere in his gut he blames himself for the ice cream. Pole doesn’t.

Sunday was slow, like on Wednesday, warm and familiar, and Pole walked out of the infirmary looking a little paler than usual. All it took was a good story and a steaming Styrofoam cup of 3-in-1 coffee (Kopiko Brown. It was Miong’s favourite, but Pole thanked him all the same) to bring the colour back to his cheekbones.

And then, it was Monday again, and it felt like they hadn’t dated at all.

**05。**

“Pole, when did we start dating again?”

“I’m not exactly sure.”

They’re in their thirties now, and Emilio feels like reminiscing.

“Was it during my second year in college? Or third?”

Apolinario lowered his phone to look at him. “That early?”

“No, maybe even way before.” Emilio shook his head. “You know, it never really felt like we dated. It was just… what we always ever do.”

“Yes, you’re right.” Apolinario nodded, and locked his cell phone to look at him properly. “It never really turned into something overly romantic.”

Emilio hummed, and thumbed the box in his pocket. “Pole, I have something to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Can we make it happen? The romance?” he took out the box and opened it, and that brought a rare smile and a laugh to Apolinario’s lips. The box was empty, and that was perfectly fine. Its original content was already on Apolinario’s finger.

“You silly boy, Miong,” he replied, closing the box with a chuckle. “We already are.”


End file.
